Spool winding machine



Dec. 17, 1940. w. F. WIDMAN 2,224,845

SPOOL WINDING MACHINE Fil'edOct. 8, 13938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 17,1940. w wmMAN 2,224,845

SPOOL WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec.17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPOOL WINDING MACHINE ApplicationOctober 8,

18 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to textile machinery and, moreparticularly, to apparatus for winding yarn on spools.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved drivingmeans for spools which are being wound, in which means the spool isdriven from a rotating shaft or wheel through an intermediate drive rollwhich engages both the driving shaft for wheel and the spool which isbeing wound. In connection with this feature, it is another object ofthe invention to so adjust the forces between the primary andintermediate driving members and the driven spool that the engagingforce between the primary driving member and the intermediate memberwill be less than the engaging force between the intermediate member andthe driven spool, whereby any snarling or other stopping of the yarn fedto the spool will result only in slippage between the two drivingmembers and not between the intermediate driving member and the spool,thereby preventing burning of the yarn on the spool.

An object of the invention is to provide driving means for spools whichare to be wound, which means are so constructed and arranged that theymay be brought manually and gradually into engagement with the spool toeffect a controlled starting of the spool, after which weight means arebrought into operation to continuously urge and maintain the drivingmeans in driving relation with the spool.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automaticallyremoving the driving means from driving engagement with the spool, 5 tothereby stop the rotation of the spool, which means will be madeoperative when the spool is fully wound to the outer peripheries of theside walls thereof, and regardless of the diameter of the spool.

A further object is to provide means for automatically removing thedriving means from driving engagement with the spool, to thereby stopthe rotation of the spool, which means will be made operative when thespool is partially filled to any pre-determined extent.

A still further object is to provide means which will move the spoolfrom the winding position to a position in which it may be doffed, suchmeans being made operable by the removal of the driving means fromengagement with the spool.

A still further object is to provide means which will be operative tostop the rotation of the spool and to move it to doffing positionimmediately upon any breaking of the yarn being fed to the 1938, SerialNo. 234,009

spool, or upon the exhaustion of the yarn being fed to the spool.

A still further object is to provide means controlled by the tension oftheyarn being fed to the spool and operative, when such tension is suf-5 ficiently great, to maintain the driving means in engagement with thespool, but which are operative, when the tension of the yarnfalls belowa pre-determined value to remove the driving means from the spool andmove the spool to 10 doffing position.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be madeapparent by the following description and the annexed drawings, it beingunderstood, however, that such description and drawings are merelyillustrative of the invention, which is not in any way limited therebyor otherwise than by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer tolike parts:

Fig. 1 is a side view showing mechanism according to the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View illustrating parts of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the invention, certain parts thereofbeing omitted.

By the present invention there is provided a new and improved mechanismwhich is intended for use in the winding of yarn, string, thread or thelike on a spool which is rotated in order to wind the yarn or othermaterial thereon. This mechanism is operative to (1) cause the rotationof the spool to be started slowly under the full control of the operatorto gradually bring it up to speed, weight means being then brought intooperation to constantly maintain the driving means in engagement withthe spool or the yarn thereon; (2) eiiect the rotation of the spool bythe driving force of a rotating intermediate driving roll which isfrictionally driven by a constantly rotating driving shaft or wheel; (3)cause slippage to occur between the primary and intermediate drivingmembers in the event of snarling or other stopping of the yarn fed tothe spool, rather than between the. intermediate roll and the yarn woundon the spool, thus preventing burning of the yarn; (4) effect theautomatic stopping and movement of the spool to dofiing position when itis fully wound, this occurring regardless of the diameter of the sidewalls of the spool; (5) effect the automatic stopping and movement ofthe spool to dofiing position when it has been filled to anypre-determined degree or point; and (6) effect the stopping of therotation of the spool and the movement of the spool to doffing positionimmediately upon the breaking of the yarn being fed to the spool or theexhaustion of the supply thereof. The means for effecting these new anduseful results are illustrated in the drawings and reference is made tosuch drawings and to the following description for a full and completeunderstanding of the invention.

Spool driving means A main driving wheel A is keyed to a shaft 1 and isconstantly driven thereby and is frictionally engaged at its peripherywith the periphery of an intermediate drive roll 2 to constantly drivethe same. The intermediate roll 2 is journaled on a shaft 4 which isdisposed above and in parallelism with shaft l and slidably carried inthe arms 3, 3 of a frame which pivotally carried by shaft I. The arms 3,3 are disposed, respectively, on the opposite sides of the members A and2, and a spring 5 attached to a connection 6 between the lower ends ofthe arms constantly urges the frame to vertical position as illustratedin Fig, 1. Springs 1 are disposed between the shaft 4 and lateralextensions on the upper end of the frame and constantly urge the roll 2into frictional engagement with the driving wheel A. It will be apparentthat the frictional driving connection between the members A and 2 willbe maintained regardless of the angular disposition of the frame due tothe pivotal mounting of the frame on the shaft.

Journaled in suitable bearings carried by fixed parts of the frame ofthe machine is a vertical, rotatable shaft 8, to the lower end of whichthere is rigidly attached, by suitable means, a horizontal spindle 9upon which a spool may be received. The parts are so proportioned anddisposed that the spindle 9 may be moved from a dofling position, inwhich a spool may be placed thereon or removed therefrom, to a windingposition in which the spindle is parallel to the shafts I and 4 anddisposed forwardly thereof at about the level of the. shaft 4, all asclearly illustrated in Fig. 1. Means, to be described fully hereinafter,are provided by the invention for releasably latching the spindle 9 inwinding position and for automatically moving it to dofllng positionwhen the spool carried thereby is fully wound.

The intermediate drive roll 2 is of such thickness that it will bereceived between the end walls of a standard spool mounted on thespindle 9, when the spindle is in winding position, whereby when theintermediate drive roll is moved into engagement with the spool or withthe yarn wound thereon the rotary movement thereof will be transmittedto the spool. It will be seen that if the intermediate roll is disposedbetween the end Walls of the spool and with its periphery in engagementwith the yarn on the spool, the filling of the spool by the winding ofthe yarn thereon will move the roll and the frame 3, 3 carrying the sameaway from the spindle 9. This movement of the frame 3, 3 and theintermediate roll is employed in the present invention to effect theautomatic dofiing of the spool.

The springs I which maintain the driving engagement between theintermediate drive roll and the main driving wheel are so adjusted thatthe friction between these two members is less than the friction betweenthe intermediate roll and the spool due to the means which urge theintermediate roll into engagement with the spool whereby, if there isany snarling of the yarn fed to the spool, slippage will occur betweenthe main driving wheel and the intermediate roll rather than between theintermediate roll and the spool, thus preventing burning of the yarn byrotation of the intermediate roll against the yarn.

Automatic movement of spool to doping position The vertical shaft 8which carries the spindle 9 is surrounded by a spring I0 whichconstantly urges the shaft and spindle to the open or dofling positionof the spindle, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The shaft and spindle may berotated about the vertical axis of the shaft 8, against the force of thespring Hi, to the closed or Winding position of the spindle, asillustrated in Fig. 3, in which the free end of the spindle is receivedwithin an open aperture H which is formed in a part I2a of the fixedframe of the machine. When disposed in such position, with its free endin the aperture H, the spindle is in position to permit a spool mountedthereon to be engaged by the intermediate drive roll and wound.

Means are provided by the invention for holding the spindle in windingposition until fully loaded and then releasing it from the aperture I land causing it to move automatically to doffing position. Such meanscomprise a latch 12 which comprises a vertical portion l3, which ispivotally connected at its upper end to the frame I2a of the machine,and a forwardly-extending latch portion [4 at the upper end of thevertical I portion, a spring I5 being connected between the lower end ofthe vertical portion and the frame in order to urge the latch to aposition in which the latch portion thereof will be maintained in upperor operative position, although this same effect may be secured byproviding a rearwardlyextending weight portion at the lower end of thevertical portion. The latch portion I4 is provided in its upper surfacewith a notch or aperture l6 which surrounds the end of the spindle 9when the same is in the aperture I I, to thereby prevent movement of theend of the spindle out of the aperture H, and the forward end of thelatch portion is downwardly curved to permit the spindle, when swunginto the aperture l I, to ride over and depress the latch portion. Itwill be apparent that, in normal position and operation, the spring IE,or the weight portion of the latch, will maintain the latch portionthereof in raised position, in which the walls of the aperture I6 willprevent movement of the spindle out of the aperture ll.

Extending between the frame 3, 3 and the latch I2 is a link or dofiingbar 20 which is operative to transmit movement of the frame to the latchto cause the latch to be moved, at predetermined times, to such aposition that the spindle will be released from aperture ll. At one endthereof the bar 20 has a lost motion connection to the frame 3, 3through an elongated aperture 2| formed in the bar and which receives apin carried by the frame. At its other end the bar has a lost motionconnection with the latch through an L-shaped aperture 22 in the barwhich receives a pin carried by the latch below the pivoted supporttherefor. The lost motion connections are so arranged that when theframe is in vertical position, its movement toward the spindle willfirst completely take up the lost motion between the frame and the barby movement of the frame-carried pin along the aperture 2| inthebar,after which the bar will be moved, by movement of the frame, to take upthe lost motion between the latch and. the bar.

the upwardly-extending recess forming part of the-L-shaped aperture 22in the bar.- The connections between the frame and bar are now such thatany movement of the frame away from the spindle willfirsttake up thelost. motion between the frame and thebar, whereupon any furthermovement of the frame will cause the bar itself to move in the samedirection. Such movement of the bar Willcause a force tobe immediatelyexertedzonthe latchtending :tomove the sameuin a clockwisedirectioniabout-its pivotal support, thereby movingthe aperture 13 inthe latch portionthereof out of lockingengagee ment with the. end of thespindle; The'release of the spindle will permit the'spring .Hl'tocrotate the shaft 8 in such a way as to move the end of the spindle 3out of the aperture H and into dofiing position. Further movement of theframe 3,..3 toward vertical. positionby action of the spring 5 willcause the upwardly-extending recess in the aperture 22 in the latch endof bar 2i! to move out of engagement with the pin carried by the latch,thereby restoring the lost-motion connections to their normal position.

Means for engaging the intermediate drive roll with the spool Means areprovided by the invention for moving the intermediate drive roll from areleased or inoperative position into engagement with the spool which isto be loaded and for maintaining such driving engagement during theentire oper ation of loading the spool. Such means comprise a pair ofarm 25 which are connected respectively to the opposite side of theframe 3, 3 and extend forwardly from the frame at points adjacent thepivotal support of the frame on the shaft l. A rod 26 is carried by the.free extremities of these arms and extends across the face of the maindriving pulley. An operating lever 21 is pivotally supported,intermediate. its

ends, on the rod 26 and the outer end of this lever is arranged to begrasped and manipulated by an operator. The. inner end of the lever 2!is pivotally connected, b a pivoted link 28, toa weight armv 23, theupper end of which is. journaled about and supported by the shaft l, andthe lower end of which is normally supported by the frame member .30adjacent an aperture-3| in the frame. A weight 32 is suspended from thelower end of the weight arm 29. Pivotally mounted intermediate its'endson the weight arm 23is alatch lever 33, the lower end of which isconstantly urgedvtoward the lower end of the weight arm' by a spring 34.The intermediate portion of the upper arm of lever-33 is provided with alocking recess 35, which is adapted to receive a pin 36 which is carriedby the upper end of one arm. of a lever 31, which is pivotally mounted,intermediate its ends, on the end of rod 28 adjacent the operating lever21, and the lower arm 33 'of which extends downwardly for a purpose tobe described hereinafter.

In the operation of the described mechanism,

in order to engage the intermediate drive roll with a spool on spindle9, the operator depresses theoperating lever 21. During the first partof this movement the downward force on arm 21 will be exerted throughred 26a'nd' arm 25 to .cause the frame 3, 3 to move about its pivotalthe spool.

support on shaft I from its vertical position. to.- ward the. spoolwhich is positioned on spindle 9. The operator. thus moves theintermediate drive roll into driving engagement withthe spool at acontrolled rate, whereby the spool is gradually brought up to speed,thus preventing any breaking of the yarn by reason of too quick startingof As the intermediate drive roll moves into engagement with the spool,the downward movement of the operating arm 21 will be resisted and thisarm will turn about its pivot on the rod I 26, whereby any furtherdownward movement of the operating arm will raise the. inner end therof.

. This movement of the inner end of the operating lever will operate,through the link 28 to raise the Weight arm 29, theweight 32 and thelatch lever 33, it being apparent that the operator is now supportingthe weight 32 through the levers and linkages described. During theentire downward movement of the operating arm the pin-35, which iscarried by lever 3'1, is moved downwardly to such a position that whenthe operating arm is adjacent its lowermost position the pin 36 isopposite the locking recess 35 in the lever33. Any further downwardmovement exerted by the operator on the operating arm will cause the pin36 to enter the recess. The downward force of the weight 32 is nowapplied through weight arm 29, latch lever 33, the locking notch in thelatch lever, pin 36, lever 31, rod 26, and arms 25 to the frame 3, 3,thereby exerting a force on the frame which tends to move the frame in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and constantly urgingtheintermediate drive roll into driving engagement with the hub of thespool on spindle 9 or with the yarn thereon.

Automatic stopping of spool when fully loaded which is in windingposition on the spindle 9.

The inner end of the arm 5! is sleeved about a shaft 52 and is connectedthereto by a coil spring 53, such shaft having keyed thereto at one enda ratchet wheel 54, the toothed periphery of which is engaged by a pawl55 which is normally urged into engagement with the toothed periphery ofthe ratchet by a spring 5% and which, when engaged with the ratchetwheel prevents rotation of the ratchet, shaft 52 and the parts connectedthereto, in a clockwise direction as viewedin Fig. 4. The pawl 55 ispivotally supported at its center and is provided with an end portion 63which is disposed within the path of an abutment 64 carried by one ofthe arms 25.

These parts are so proportioned and arranged that when the frame 3, 3 ismoved to vertical position the abutment 64, which is rigidly attachedthereto, is caused to strike the portion 63 of the pawl, thereby movingthe pawl against the force of spring 56 in such a way about its pivot asto cause it to release the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

It will be seen that, due to the operation of the abutment 6 1, the pawl55 will be disengaged from the ratchet wheel 54 at all times when theframe 3, 3 is vertical, and will engage the ratchet wheel only whenthezframe is in such positionas to drive a spool which is on thespindle. On the opposite end of the shaft 52 from ratchet wheel 55 thereis keyed an arm 51, to the free extremity of which is pivotallyconnected the upper end of a downwardly-extending calibrating link 58,the lower end of which is supported by the free end of a calibratinglever arm 59, the other extremity of which is pivotally journaled on andsupported by the shaft l. A spring 56 is connected between thesupporting arm 59 and the pivotal connection between the calibratinglink 58 and arm 51 and operates to constantly urge the arm 5i, shaft 52,ratchet wheel 54 and link 58 to normal or inoperative position.

The calibrating link 58 supports a pin 69 which is connected thereto insuch a manner that it may be moved to a desired position along the linkand retained there. In the construction disclosed, the link is providedwith an elongated aperture 5| through which the shank of the pin 69extends, a locking nut being provided for holding the pin in adjustedposition along the aperture.

The pin 58) is disposed within the path of movement of the lower end 38of the lever 31, and it will be apparent that when a spool is placed onthe spindle 9, and the spindle moved to winding position, one of theside walls of the spool will engage the roller 59, moving the same, thearm 5|, shaft 52, arm 51, calibrating link 58, pin 59 and supporting arm59 to a position determined by the radius of the end wall of the spool,whereby the pin 69 will assume a position in the path of lever arm 38and spaced therefrom a distance which is dependent upon the radius ofthe end wall of the spool.

As the yarn is wound on the spool, the intermediate drive roll, hearingas it does on the surface of the wound yarn, will be moved away from thespindle 9. This movement will cause the frame 3, 3 to move in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, thus moving the arms 25,25 in the same direction and raising the entire lever 37. The upwardmovement of lever 31 is transmitted to the weight 32 through the latchlever 33 and the weight arm 29, thus causing the weight to maintain theintermediate drive roll in driving engagement with the spool. As thelever 37 is raised, the lower end 38 thereof will also be raised untilit engages the pin 55. the position of which, as set forth hereinbefore,is determined by the radius of the end wall of the spool. After thelever arm 38 has engaged the pin 56 any further upward movement of thelever arm will be resisted by the pin and such further movement willcause the lever 37 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction about itspivotal connection to the operating lever 27 and the arms 25, thusmoving the pin 36 out of engagement with the notch in the latch lever33. It will be apparent that in order to effect the described rotationof lever 3'! the pin 5E!v must be held against any upward movement. Thepin will be maintained in its set and predetermined position, and willresist any upward force exerted thereon by arm 38 of lever 3'7, byreason of the engagement of the pawl 55 with the ratchet wheel 54 whichengagement, as described, prevents rotation of the ratchet wheel, shaft52 and connected parts in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. Therelease of the engagement between the operating arm 2'! and the weightarm 29, which results from the described action, causes the load of theweight 32 to be taken by the Weight arm 29 which again is brought torest on the frame member, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The disengagement ofthe parts of the latch means releases the force of the weight 32 fromthe lever 31, arms 25 and the frame 3, 3 and the spring 5, the force ofwhich has heretofore been overcome by the oppositely-acting force of theweight, now operates to move the frame 3, 3 to vertical position,thereby moving the intermediate drive roll out of driving engagementwith the spool or the yarn loaded thereon, and to also move theoperating arm 21 to raised position.

The movement of the frame to its inoperative or vertical position, inthe manner described, causes the operation of the latch |2 to releasethe spindle 9, all in the manner fully described hereinbefore, wherebythe spool on spindle 9 is released from the aperture I6 and isautomatically moved to dofiing position by the spring II).

It will be seen that, due to the fact that the position of pin 60controls the release of the driving means from the spool and due to thefurther fact that the position of pin 60 is determined by the radius ofan end wall of the spool, the release of the intermediate driving rollfrom the spool will be automaticall effected upon the completion of theloading of the spool, to the limits of the end walls thereof, followingwhich the spool will be immediately and automatically moved to dofl'lngposition.

When the spool is doffed it will, of course, be necessary to return theratchet wheel and associated parts, including the pin 60, to normal,inoperative position in order to permit another spool to be loaded onthe spindle 9. This is effected by spring 66 which constantly urges theshaft 52, ratchet wheel 54 and arm 5| in a counter-clockwise directionas viewed in Fig. 4. It will be remembered that at this time the pawl 55has been moved out of engagement with the ratchet wheel by the movementof frame 3, 3 to vertical position, thereby permitting the describedoperation.

Automatic stopping of spool when partially loaded Means are provided bythe invention for automatically removing the driving force from thespool when yarn has been wound on the spool to any predetermined extentwhich is less than full loading. Thus, it may be desired to wind thespool to only one-half its fully loaded capacity, or to some mark on thespool, and .the means to be described will be operative to cause thedriving means to be released from the spool, and the spool moved todofling position when the yarn has been wound on the spool to thispredetermined extent or point.

Such means comprise an arm 10, one end of which is connected to theshaft 52 and the other end of which is provided with a lug II whichextends through a curved aperture 12 in a plate 13 and is screw-threadedto receive a tightening nut 14. A scale is preferably provided adjacentthe aperture 12 in order that the arm may be moved to any desiredpredetermined position. As stated hereinbefore, the arm 5| is connectedto shaft 52 only by a spring 53 and, accordingly, the arm 5| and roller50 may be moved to a position in which the roller will not be engaged bythe end wall of a spool placed in loading position on the spindle 9, allwithout affecting in any way the position of. the shaft 52, ratchetwheel 54, pin 60 or other associated parts. A latch pin is slidablymounted in the frame of the machine and is normally urged to an outerinoperative position by a spring 16. This pin may be moved inwardlytoward the arm after such arm has been moved to the inoperative positiondescribed and will then be operative .to engage and hold the arm insuch, inoperative posi- 5 tion.

In the operation of the described structure, if it is desired to load aspool to only one-half of its capacity, the operator first moves arm 5!to its inoperative position, in which it will not en'- gage the end wallof the spool to be loaded, and then locks the arm in such position byplacing the pin in the path of its return movement, as described. Suchsetting of the arm 5| will not affect the position of shaft 52, ratchetwheel 54 15 or pin 50 in any way. Thearm H1 is now moved to the A; markon the scale adjacent the aperture 12 and is locked in this position,thus rotatingthe shaft 52 to an extent and moving the pin 68 to aposition determined by such setting of the arm 10. As describedhereinbefore, the position of the pin 60 causes the automatic stoppingand doffing of the spool, and these opera- .tions will accordingly beeffected when the spool is loaded to one-half of its capacity.

Means for stopping the spool and moving it to do fing position uponbreaking of the yarn or exhaustion of the supply particularly in Figs.1, 2 and 4 and comprise an arm 80 which is mounted to swing in avertical plane about a pivotal connection between its upper end and theupper end of a pivoted member 8|, the lower end of which is providedwith a cam surface 82 which engages an oppositelyformed cam surface 83on the upper end of the latch lever 33. Upon the lower end of arm 80there is mounted a rod 84 which extends transversely across the face ofa spool which is in loaded position on spindle 9, The yarn being fedfrom the skein (not shown) to the spool passes below the rod 84 and thetension of the yarn holds the rod and the arm 80 in a raised position inwhich the lever is removed from the path of an abutment 85 which iscarriedby and moves with the traverse bar 86. In the operation of thedescribed means, so long as the yarn tension is sufficient to hold thearm 80 in raised position the abutment 85 will pass the arm freelyduring the movement of the traverse bar but, if the yarn breaks, the armwill be permitted to fall into the path of the abutment. Upon beingengaged by the abutment the arm will be moved in a direction parallel tothe traverse bar and will thereby cause the lever 8|, to which it isconnected, to be moved about its pivot thus causing the cam surfacethereon to be moved across the cam surface on lever 33. The relativemovement of the cam surfaces on the levers 8| and 33 will cause thelever 33 to be moved'in such a way as to disengage the notch thereinfrom the pin 36 on the upper arm of lever 31, thereby disengaging theweight means from the operating arm 21 and the frame 33 and permittingthe spring 5 to move the frame to its vertical position, thereby movingthe intermediate roll out of engagement with the spool.

The pivoted arm 80 is normally held in raised, or inoperative, positionby the engagement of an extension member I00, which is pivotallysupported on the lower end thereof, by an offsetportion l0] of theoperating lever 21. Thus, when the driving wheel and the roll mounted inthe the operating lever is in its upper, inoperative parting in any wayfrom the spirit or scope of 10 diate drive roll into frictionalengagementwith 0,

the periphery of the driving wheel, means normally operable to maintainthe intermediate drive roll out of engagement with the spool on saidspindle, and other means operable to overcome the action of said lastnamed means to thereby 25 maintain the intermediate drive roll indriving engagement with the spool.

2. Spool winding mechanism comprising a driving wheel, a spindle adaptedto receive spool on which yarn is to be wound and to posi- 30 tion suchspool adjacent but out of contact with the driving wheel, anintermediate drive roll, means constantly urging the intermediate driveroll into frictional peripheral engagement with the periphery of thedriving wheel, means normally operable to maintain the intermediatedrive roll out of engagement with the spool, and means operable toovercome the action of said last named means and to'maintain theintermediate drive roll in driving engagement with the spooif' the meansurging the intermediate drive roll and the driving wheel intofrictional'engagement being of less force than the means maintaining theintermediate drive roll in driving engagement with the spool. M

3. Spool winding mechanism comprising a driving wheel, a spindle adaptedto receive a spool on which yarn is to be wound and to position suchspool adjacent but out of contact with the driving wheel, a pivotallymounted frame, a drive roll rotatably mounted in said frame and beingpositioned in constant frictional peripheral driving engagement with thedriving wheel, means for-varying the frictional engagement betweenframe, means for moving the frame to a position in which the rollcarried thereby is in frictional peripheral driving engagement with thespool and with the driving wheel,'means for releasably maintaining theframe in such position, and 60 means constantly urging the frame .to aposition in which the roll carried thereby is out of engagement with thespool.

4. Spool winding .mechanism comprising a driving wheel, a spindleadapted to receive a G5 spool on which yarn is to be wound and .toposition such spool adjacent but out of contact with the driving wheel,a pivotally mounted frame, a

drive roll rotatably mounted in said frame and being in constantfrictional peripheral driving 'engagementwith the driving wheel, meansfor drivingwheel and. the roll mounted in the frame,

means for moving the frame to a position in which the roll carriedthereby is infrictional 75 peripheral driving engagement with the spool,weight means operable to releasably maintain the frame in such position,and spring means constantly urging the frame to a position in which thepulley carried thereby is out of engagement with the spool.

5. Spool winding mechanism comprising a driving wheel, a spindle adaptedto receive a spool on which yarn is to be wound and to position suchspool adjacent but out of contact with the driving wheel, a pivotallymounted frame, a drive roll rotatably mounted in said frame and beingpositioned in constant frictional peripheral driving engagement with thedriving wheel, means for varying the frictional engagement between thedriving wheel and a roll mounted in the frame, means for moving theframe to a position in which the roll carried thereby is in frictionalperipheral driving engagement with the driving wheel and the spool,means for releasably maintaining the frame in such position, the partsbeing so adjusted that the frictional resistance between the drivingwheel and the roll carried by the frame is less than the frictionalresistance between the roll carried by the frame and the spool caused bysaid maintaining means, and the first named frictional resistance isless than the strength of the yarn being wound on the spool.

6. Spool winding mechanism comprising a spindle adapted to rotatablysupport a spool adapted to have yarn wound thereon, rotatable drivingmeans movable into engagement with yarn wound on said spool and operableto cause the rotation thereof whereby the driving means is moved awayfrom the axis of the spool as the yarn is wound thereon, abutment meansadapted to be operated by a spool placed on said spindle in position tohave yarn wound thereon and movable to a position determined by theradius of the side wall of such spool, and means operable to cause thedriving means to be moved out of driving engagement with the yarn woundon the spool and which are movable with the driving means as such meansmove away from the axis of the spool and which are operable uponengagement thereof with the abutment means.

'7. Spool winding mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted spool adaptedto have yarn Wound thereon, rotatable driving means mounted for movementinto engagement with yarn Wound on said spool and operable to cause therotation thereof whereby said driving means is moved away from the axisof the spool as the yarn is wound thereon, abutment means movable to anydesired position, and means operable to cause the driving means to bemoved out of driving engagement with the yarn wound on the spool, saidmeans being movable by the driving means and into engagement with saidabutment means as the driving means move away from the axis of the spooland being operable by engagement thereof with the abutment means,whereby the driving means is moved out of driving engagement with thespool when the spool is loaded to the desired degree determined by thepredetermined setting of the abutment means.

8. Spool winding mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted spool, drivingmeans engaging the yarn being wound on the spool and adapted to rotatethe spool and to be moved away from the axis of the spool as the spoolis loaded, means movable with said driving means and being operable whenin operative position to maintain the driving means in engagement withthe spool, means arranged in the path of movement of the movable meansand positioned with respect thereto in accordance with the radius of aside wall of the spool being loaded, said movable means being operableupon engagement thereof with the last-named means to release the drivingmeans from driving engagement with the spool.

9. Spool winding mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted spool, a driveroll mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the yarn beingwound on the spool, spring means urging the drive roll out of engagementwith the spool and weight means operable to urge the drive roll intoengagement with the spool, a normally disengaged latch means operable tolatched position in which the weight means causes the drive roll todrivably engage the spool, said latch means having a portion movablewith the drive roll as such roll is moved by the yarn loaded on thespool, an abutment arranged in the path of movement of said portion andoperative by the spool being loaded to a position in accordance with theradius of an end wall of the spool, said abutment being operable afterengagement thereof by said portion of the latch means to causedisengagement of the latch means, whereby the drive roll is releasedfrom driving engagement with the spool.

10. Spool winding mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted spool, adrive roll mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the yarnbeing wound on the spool, spring means urging the drive roll out ofengagement with the spool and weight means operable to urge the driveroll into engagement with the spool, a normally disengaged latch meanshaving two parts, one of which is connected to the drive roll and one ofwhich is connected to the weight means, whereby when the latch means isin engaged position the weight means causes the said roll to drivablyengage the spool, said latch means having a portion movable with thedrive roll as such roll is moved by the yarn loaded on the spool, anabutment arranged in the path of movement of said portion and operativeby the spool being loaded to a position in accordance with the radius ofan end wall of the spool, said abutment being operable, after engagementthereof by said portion of the latch means to cause disengagement of thelatch means, whereby the drive roll is released from driving engagementwith the spool.

11. Spool winding mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted spool, adrive roll mounted flor movement into and out of engagement with theyarn being-wound on the spool, spring means urging the drive roll out ofengagement with the spool and weight means operable to urge the drivingpulley into engagement with the spool, a normally disengaged two-partlatch means including one part which is connected to the weight meansand a second part which is connected to the drive roll, said second partcomprising a pivoted lever one arm of which forms part of the latchmeans and the second arm of which moves with the drive-roll and isoperable when such movement is stopped to disengage the latch means, anabutment arranged in the path of movement of the second arm of saidlever and being movable by the spool being loaded to a positiondependent upon the radius of a wall of said spool, whereby said abutmentwill stop the aforesaid movement of the second arm of said lever tothereby cause disconnection of the latch means when the spool has beenfully loaded.

12. In spool winding mechanism, a horizontal spindle adapted to recive aspool Which is to be loaded, said spindle being movable about a verticalaxis from a dofiing position to a Winding position, means constantlyurging the spindle to dofling position, and releasable latch meansoperable to hold the spindle in winding position.

13. Spool winding mechanism comprising a horizontal spindle adapted toreceive a spool upon which yarn is to be wound, said spindle beingmovable about a vertical axis from a doffing position to a windingposition, means constantly urging the spindle to doffing position, meansoperable to releasably hold the spindle in winding position, drivingmeans movable from an inoperative position to an operative positiondrivably engaging a spool on said spindle when the spindle is in windingposition, and means operable by movement of the driving means toinoperative position for releasing. the said holding means to therebycause the spindle and the spool carried thereby to be moved to doffingposition.

14. Spool winding mechanism comprising a horizontal spindle adapted toreceive a spool upon which yarn is to be wound, said spindle beingmovable about a vertical axis from a dofling position to a windingposition, means constantly urging the spindle to doffing position, latchmeans operable to releasably hold the spindle in winding position,driving means movable from an inoperative position to an operativeposition in which it drivably engages a spool on said spindle when thespindle is in winding position, and a connection between the drivingmeans and the latch means which is so constructed and arranged as tofreely permit the driving means to drivably engage a spool which is inwinding position on the spindle and which operates the latch means todisengage the spindle when the driving means moves to inoperativeposition to thereby cause the spindle and the spool carried thereby tobe moved to dofiing position.

15. Spool winding mechanism comprising a main driving wheel, a rotatablymounted spool adjacent but out of engagement with said wheel, a framepivoted at the axis of said wheel, an intermediate drive roll rotatablymounted in said frame and being so positioned that it is carried bymovement of the frame from a position in which it is in frictionalperipheral engagement only with the main wheel to a position in which itis in frictional peripheral engagement with both the main wheel and thespool to thereby cause rotation of the spool, an arm connected to theframe, an operating lever pivotally connected intermediate its ends tosaid arm and having an outer extremity providing a handle portion and aninner extremity connected to a weight, whereby initial movement of saidlever in one direction will cause movement of the frame to cause theintermediate wheel to drivably engage the spool and subsequent movementof the lever will cause the force of the weight to be applied to thepivotal connection between the operating lever and the arm connected tothe frame.

16. Spool winding mechanism comprising a main driving wheel, a rotatablymounted spool adjacent but out of engagement with said wheel, a framepivoted at the axis of said wheel, an intermediate drive roll rotatablymounted in said frame and being so positioned that it is carried bymovement of the frame from a position in which it is in frictionalperipheral engagement with the main driving wheel to a position in whichit is in frictional peripheral engagement with the main driving wheeland the spool to thereby cause rotation of the spool, an arm connectedto the frame, an operating lever pivotally connected intermediate itsends to said arm and having an outer extremity providing a handleportion and an inner extremity connected to a weight, whereby initialmovement of said lever in one direction will cause movement of the frameto cause the intermediate drive roll to drivably engage the spool, a twopart latch means having one portion thereof connected to said weight andanother portion connected to the operating arm, said latch parts beingso constructed and arranged asto become engaged upon movement of theoperating lever after the engagement between the intermediate drive rolland the spool, whereby the force of the weight is caused to maintain theengagement between the intermediate drive roll and the spool.

17. Spool winding mechanism comprising a spool rotatably mounted andadapted to have yarn wound thereon, a rotatable drive roll mounted todrivably engage the spool, means constantly urging said roll intodriving engagemetn with the spool, means operable to disconnect saidmeans from the drive roll to thereby cause said roll to move out ofdriving relation with the spool, means operable by the yarn fed to thespool for preventing the operation of the last-named means while theyarn fed to the spool is under a pre-determined tension and operablewhenthe tension falls below a predetermined value to cause the operationof said means to thereby move said drive roll out of driving engagementwith the spool.

18. Spool winding mechanism comprising a spool rotatably mounted andadapted to have yarn wound thereon, a rotatable drive roll mounted todrivably engage the spool, means constantly urging said roll intodriving engagement with of the path of the movable member by the yarnfed to the spool so long as such yarn is under a pre-determined tensionbut is movable into operative position by breaking of the yarn orreduction of the tension thereof below the predetermined value.

WILLIAM F. 'WIDMAN.

